08: John Lasseter

THEATER OF OPERATIONS: The creative force behind Pixar has taken the mantle of Walt Disney and created an unrivaled hit machine. His latest effort, this summer’s Cars 2, fared well at the box office, despite generally middling reviews—a testament to the Pixar brand. Next big project: Monsters University, a “prequel” to the $525-million-grossing Monsters, Inc.

EXECUTIVE TIC: The animation king has a phobia-like aversion to cell phones and e-mails. His preferred mode of giving feedback: leaving voice messages via iPad.

SIGNATURE ACCESSORY: Hawaiian shirts—more than 1,000 of them—of which 375 are sorted by subject matter in his closet.